Hmm, I'm feeling pretty chatty today. Two posts so far! Anyway, this week I had a media disappointment--you know, when you're really into something and then it suddenly takes a horrible turn (a few of you know what I'm talking about)--so I decided to ignore this entertainment setback and focus on that elusive positive.

So--I read a pretty good YA book. Runemarks by Joanne Harris. It's based on Norse mythology, which is a favorite mythology of mine. I never seem to post reviews in here, but hey, why not!


As I mentioned, Norse mythology is very dear to my heart, for no particular reason except that I really, really like it. One of my dearest wishes is to someday write a novel or draw a comic based on those stories. However, I am certainly not an expert on the subject, and my thoughts about the myths are more based on personal preference and feeling than on scholarship.

Basically, Runemarks is set in the world of the Norse myths, long after Ragnarok. The gods are largely believed to be dead, or at least gone forever. The main character is a girl named Maddy, who was born with a runemark on her hand. She was a good protagonist--fun to read about and easy to identity with.

Now, I am very picky about my Norse-based stories. Particularly where the characterization of one particular god is concerned. The truth is, I am absolutely bonkers about Loki. I fanatically adore him, and I get supremely irritated if I don't like an author's characterization of him, which is most of the time. This is completely irrational and idiosyncratic of me. But I really hate pure boring villain Loki. I like Loki full of spirit and fire and mischief, the changeable trickster who was Odin's brother as well as his enemy. Torn between Chaos and Order, unpredictable and fascinating. I did not enjoy Neil Gaiman's Loki, but I read that book so long ago that I can't actually discuss why that was. Sorry, I am a harsh Loki fan!

I love trickster gods, can you tell?

Runemarks actually had great Loki characterization, so I was thrilled. He was deceitful and treacherous and up to all his old tricks, and all the Æsir and Vanir wanted to kill him--but he was still somehow likable and sympathetic and always getting out of tight places just when you thought he was done for.

Her Odin was great, too. Oh oh, and I absolutely loved her use of Balder. It was perfect and satisfying. It actually made me tear up. Oh, Balder. And Heimdall, ha ha, I love him. I was less happy with her Hel and Jormungand, but hey, we all have different takes on the myths, and a great Loki will make me forgive a lot.

Also, her choice for the villain of the piece was very interesting! (Not Loki, thankfully.) And I was actually happy with how things turned out.

I had a few problems with the pacing at the end, but it wasn't a big deal. And it might have been nice to see Fenrir and Sleipnir, but that's not even a criticism, I'm just silly.

Now I'm all Norsed up! All Norsed up and nowhere to go, oh no.